Fiberglass Repair for Kayaks or Boats
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- Опубликовано: 20 апр 2016
- Basics of Patching or Repairing Fiberglass in Kayaks or Boats. Repairs in the field can be done with this method and a small kit of materials.
This is a video for anyone repairing fiberglass that has minor damaged due to dragging, or small punctures in the hull. More extensive damage such as large holes require structural repairs, and more advanced techniques and materials. I used these basic methods and materials on extended kayaking trips, bringing along a small kit of the materials listed in this video.
Step 1: Prep the patch area with sandpaper - surface should be even and free of flaking material, original fibers showing thru will help to strengthen the bond with new materials.
Step 2: Clean surface with acetone - use rubbing alcohol if acetone is not available. Fresh water is not the best choice for cleaning, but if other solvents are not available use it to clean the area and allow to dry completely. Tape off the repair area to prevent excess resin drips.
Step 3: Mixing the resin. 1.5% catalyst (MEKP) by volume is a typical ratio at 70 F this gives a 15-20 min working time before the mixture begins to harden. Higher percentages of catalyst will shorten the working time but are used at temps below 70 F. Lower percentages of catalyst can cause the resin to only partially set up or stay in a gel state. Exposing the area to sun light (UV light) will help to cure the resin.
Step 4: Apply the a coat of resin to the patch area, then apply the fiberglass cloth and wet it out with the brush. A dabbing motion with the brush end will help to soak the fiberglass cloth with resin and remove air bubbles from under this cloth. Use a second layer of cloth if the damage requires, if possible off set the next layer by 45 degrees as this will help strengthen the patch.
Step 5: Allow the patch to cure for at least one day. If not possible, then place in direct sunlight and monitor it. The surface will remain slightly sticky for at least 1 day. It's best to allow the repair to cure for several days to full strength. Trim and sand the edges of the repair. 
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Thank you Todd...
What an awesome straight forward, none bs, video! No selling no CRAZY music well explained and regular Joe! LOVE IT!
thank you Sir!
Thanks. Like you I get irritated with all the hyped up music on videos.
I used this video and repaired my kayak!
This is the best repair video on youtube
Thanks for making this. You're a great instructor!
Glad to hear that. Thanks.
You probably dont care but if you're bored like me atm then you can stream pretty much all the latest series on instaflixxer. Been watching with my gf lately xD
@Titus Amos Yea, I have been using instaflixxer for months myself =)
@Titus Amos yup, been watching on instaflixxer for years myself :D
Good vid . Amazing how much damage people do to their kayaks. Avoid rocks, grinding and store it right and you wont have to do this.
Hey Todd! Ive been watching ya for years. bought a composite kayak to do the mississippi river and wanted to bring along a repair kit just in case. great video for reference!
Hey Jay I recognize your name. I've always though about a kayak trip down the mighty Miss. It was my first memory of a big river as I was born about 60 miles from it and fished it's banks as a kid. I hope you post some vids on the trip. Best of luck.
@@toddswitzer6799 a large amount of my space is going to be dedicated to camera gear so there will definitely be videos coming. I have some online from last summer of the beautiful head waters as well... but they dont compare to your alaskan land scapes which are amazing!! If you are willing id love to get some info on the composite boats and how they handle different situatuions such as rock impacts and dragging on sand
I think a composite boat will do fine if you're careful about dragging. Dragging a loaded boat is by far the worst thing you can do to it, even though the keel is the thickest point it can still wear thru fast. In a situation like a big river or lake where there are no tides or waves to deal with just take your time loading and unloading. On my Alaska trips the tidal range was near 25 feet so dragging a loaded boat was necessary at times, add in the waves, those pesky bears and all the shallow rivers and I damaged my hull often. If you're concerned about it then use Keel Strip or other reinforcement along the keel before you go. These products usually go on with a hot iron or heat gun. Unless you're running rapids a lot then a composite boat can usually handle a hit against a rock now and then, of course it all depends on the shape of the rocks, speed of the river, angle of the impact, weight of the boat. A great resource for info on this subject is Jackson Kayaks in TN, they build a lot of kayaks that take a beating, give them a call direct to product support if possible (avoid calling a random dealer you never know who you'll get).
@@toddswitzer6799 Hi Todd, thanks for the response. kind of sounds like i have been thinking, just be careful and enjoy the trip! i worry a little about the wing dams and having to pull up on rock shores but like you stated be careful and take your time. I have a repair kit i am bringing and have been looking at some of the fiberglass cloth/tape and might bring a little extra as well. I fully intend to be self sufficient while i am out there and that includes repairs. however i am a little new to the composite boats i do really like them and look forward to getting it on the big water.... if you ever do decide to consider the Mississippi River more seriously you should look up the mississippi river paddlers on facebook. there are a couple thousand members who are there to answer questions and lend a hand to those paddling the miss. many of them have done the trip, amazing group of people and an unbelievable source of knowledge! (im on there as jay kangler) Hope to keep in touch with ya and looking forward to seeing your next adventure! take care and thank you!! and ill check out that keel strip!
Hey Jay. I think the guy you want to chat with about how a composite boat holds up to dragging is Yuri Klaver, he is on RUclips. He's done some INSANE kayaking trips in the arctic and does it all in a composite kayak and could tell you a lot more about how they hold up on long expeditions. Honestly the trips that guy does are on another scale from even my Alaskan trips and he's a great guy to chat with. Tell him I said hello.
great vid
+led8541 Thanks
I'm possibly getting a boat tomorrow and I'm assuming it could have some issues I'm looking at fiberglassing to repair what other alternatives would be recommended?
Alternatives meaning different types of kayak hulls? If that is the question then it really comes down to fiberglass vs HDPE (plastic). I'm not forgetting the lesser used/higher quality wood kayaks. In general, if you're a DIY person and you modify everything you own then fiberglass would likely be best and if you like to unpack the box and get right to using you're toy and are happy with buying the accessories that the manufacture provides then HDPE type hulls would work best. I hope this helped.
I would suggest weighing the resin and catalyst by the gram. That way you will get a much more accurate measurement of both and a better ratio.
I agree. Also, to get the best strength possible one should never mix less than 200 ml batches.
Hello sir. Does your kayak made with fiberglass ? Coz you are using fiberglass to do repair. Mine is polyethylene and it cracked. I weld it and crack again. Can I use fiberglass ? From mauritius. Thx
No fiberglass will not bond to polyethylene so you can not use it to repair your kayak.
I have a spider crack now. It's a "soft" spot and does take on water slowly.
It's right on the bottom. Do you think I should repair it from the inside or the outside?
Oh those used kayaks!
Thanx
Spider cracks in the gel coat and a soft spot usually means it had impact damage. Reinforce the fiberglass from the inside if you can get to that area. I like to use 2 layers of 10 ounce cloth as an internal patch with these patches at 45 degrees to each other so the individual fibers lay in a diamond shape. The patch should be about 25% larger than the spider crack if possible. Then repair the gel coat from the outside. Tap Plastics does a good video on that: ruclips.net/video/iWEE6SFUdpg/видео.html
Your suggestion of cross-hatching the fibercloth was a good one, it's a strong repair.
(fyi:The TAP plastics video says the repair is strictly cosmetic.)
That TAP plastics video is just for the gel coat repair portion (the final step of the repair). The structural repair of a spider crack repair is all from those patches of fiberglass on the inside of the hull. It could be patched from the outside but then you'll need to feather out the edges of an external patch or it will show thru the gel coat and that is a lot more difficult than simple patches on the inside of the hull. I avoid patching from the outside unless it's impossible to get to that area from the inside, for example under a fixed seat or a bulkhead.